Grian took his first week of chemo off from school to let his body adjust to it without additional stress, while Scar, Mumbo, Scott, and Jimmy all returned to school.

"I wish I could've stayed with Grian," Mumbo sighed, closing his locker. "I asked Joel and he told me my education was more important than comforting Grian."

Scar rolled his eyes as the two of them started down the hall. "He really is an adult now," he murmured, making Mumbo snicker. "I mean, it's not like you're graduating this year."

Mumbo groaned. "Dude, all of my friends are graduating this year, and I'm stuck for a whole other semester," he complained. "Even Grian's graduating, and we're both juniors!"

"Grian has all of his credits already, to be fair," Scar said. "And he was taking, like, a million advanced science and math classes, too. I think he said he wants to be a chemist."

"Yeah, but I take advanced classes, too," Mumbo pouted.

"You take advanced robotics classes," Scar corrected. "Those aren't required credits."

The ravenette sighed. "I know," he said.

Scar nudged him and smiled. "Hey, at least you don't have to take an entire year's worth of classes next year," he said. "You only have to complete the first semester."

"Hey, Mumbo," a girl with blonde hair, False, said, waving to Mumbo as she passed him.

"Oh, hey." Mumbo waved back with a smile. "She was my partner for a robotics project last year. She's really smart."

"Not as smart as you," Scar said with a wink, stopping in front of a classroom. "I'll see you at lunch?"

Mumbo sighed. "I actually told Mr. Hermann I'd hang out at the workshop," he said, and Scar pouted. "You can come eat in there if you want."

"It's fine," Scar said. "I'll just eat with fWhip."

Mumbo smiled softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Mumbo left with a wave goodbye, and Scar entered his architecture class with a sigh. As much as he loved that class, he also hated it with a burning passion.

.•°*°•.

"I think that works," fWhip murmured as Sausage hovered over his shoulder. The ginger boy was playing Minecraft on his laptop and was currently attempting to create an iron farm.

"It looks good," Sausage said with a smile, then pecked a kiss to fWhip's cheek. "You're so good at this."

fWhip's face turned red and he looked away. "I'm okay at it," he murmured, then noticed Scar approaching with a lunch tray. "Oh, hey, Scar!"

Scar waved, seemingly forgetting he was holding a tray, and nearly dropped all of his food. "Dang it-" He blushed out of embarrassment when Sausage and fWhip began to laugh. "Hey! Don't laugh!"

"Sorry," fWhip said, though he was still laughing as Scar sat down. "Where's Mumbo and Grian?"

Scar sighed. "Mumbo went to the workshop," he said, "and Grian's at home with Lizzie."

fWhip groaned. "I wish I could be at home right now," he groaned, putting away his laptop. "That sounds like-"

"He's on chemo right now."

"-heaven..." fWhip blinked before he ans Sausage simultaneously asked, "Chemo?"

Scar looked down at his food, feeling his eyes start to water even though he knew Grian would be fine. "He has cancer," he murmured, and Sausage gasped.

"The poor thing," he said, covering his mouth. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine right now as far as I know," Scar answered, sneakily wiping his eye by pretending to scratch his eyebrow. "Joel said he's having a hard time adjusting to the chemo, but he's sure that Grian'll be fine in the end."

Sausage let out a long breath. "That's a relief," he said.

Scar nodded and took a bite of his lasagne, then spit it right back out. "Ugh, school food is terrible," he groaned. "How do people eat this stuff?"

"No clue," fWhip said with a shrug. "I usually just go get McDonald's or something."

"Yeah, and you forgot to get me a Grimace shake," Sausage pouted, obviously trying not to snicker at how fWhip whined. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding."

fWhip sighed. "I'll get you one tomorrow," he said, then held up his little finger. "Promise."

Sausage beamed and curled his little finger around his boyfriend's. "Yay!"

Scar smiled at them. "You guys are so cute," he commented, and they both blushed.

"You, Mumbo, and Grian are cuter," Sausage said, and it was Scar's turn to blush. "But you three are super physically intimate, so technically you guys are cuter to look at. You're always kissing and hugging and snuggling each other." He turned to look at fWhip. "We're more emotionally and mentally intimate so it's not as pleasing to look at us as a couple since you don't always see what's going on behind just looks."

Scar and fWhip blinked at him.

"I'm emotionally intimate with Mumbo and Grian," Scar said, slightly confused.

"Well of course," Sausage said, "but your physical approach to your relationship with them is a lot more obvious. I'm still physically intimate with fWhip," he paused just a moment to wink at his now blushing partner, "it's just not as obvious as how emotional we are with each other."

Scar nodded. "I think I know what you mean."

Sausage smiled at that. "And you and Grian are a lot more emotional than Mumbo," he continued. "Mumbo's more physical than you and Grian. Grian's a really good mix of both. And your relationship works really well, too. The dynamics between you three are perfect for a throuple."

"...I think that's a compliment, so thank you," Scar said.

"Of course!"

.•°*°•.

"Dad," Grian whispered, opening the door to his parents' bedroom. "Are you sleeping?" He peeked his head into the room to find Joel tossing a bit under the covers. The boy sighed as he entered the room. He hated having to wake Joel up, especially since the latter hardly ever got any sleep as of late. "Dad," he said a little louder this time, but Joel didn't respond. He reached out to shake Joel's arm. "Dad-"

"Don't touch me!" Joel shouted, bolting upright. He'd startled Grian and the dirty blonde screamed and jumped backward, hitting the bookshelf and knocking it over so it fell on top of him.

Grian blinked from his spot on the floor, squashed beneath the piece of furniture, then let out a small sob that had Joel rushing out of bed to help.

"I'm so sorry, Grian," Joel apologised, heaving the bookshelf off of the poor boy. "I didn't mean to yell at you, I swear. I was having this dream and-" He paused when Grian crawled as far as he could once he wasn't being crushed anymore. "Grian..."

He sobbed a little louder and shoved his face into his hands. "You scared m-me," he cried.

Joel sighed and ignored the books on the floor to sit next to Grian on the floor. "I'm really sorry for scaring you."

Grian hiccuped. "It's f-fine," he murmured, then leaned into Joel, who smiled softly at the gesture. He was still crying a little bit, but Joel assumed it was because he was sore from the bookshelf. It wasn't heavy, but it would definitely hurt.

"Did you need something?" Joel asked when Grian finally began to relax.

"Hungry," Grian mumbled, and Joel snickered a bit.

"You're hungry?" he asked. "Okay, how about... we go out to that new grill down the road for some late breakfast?" He glanced at the clock which read just before noon, thinking it didn't make a difference since they served breakfast all day.

Grian looked up, his eyes shining. "Really?"

Joel nodded. "Yes, really," he said. "But I want to take a look at any sore spots first to make sure you're not bleeding anywhere, alright?"

.•°*°•.

"Hello, how are you two doing?" a young-looking, white-haired server said as he approached, then he froze. "Joel and Grian?"

Joel laughed when he recognised Etho. "You're the last person I expected to see," he said. "How are you?"

"I'm alright," Etho answered. "It's been pretty slow today and I haven't had to deal with any annoying customers, so I have nothing to complain about. You?"

"I'm... exhausted," Joel sighed, glancing at Grian, who was gaping at the menu. "It's a long story, though. We'd have to talk over a cup of coffee and a half to get through the whole thing." He yawned.

Etho shrugged and smiled. "Fair enough, you're a busy guy," he said. "What can I get you two to drink?"

"Apple juice," Grian blurted, then his face turned slightly red and he hid behind his menu when the two looked over at him.

"I'll have coffee," Joel said.

Etho jotted the two drinks down on a notepad and nodded. "Right, I'll have those out for you in a minute," he said, smiling, then walked away.

"I think I might get the chocolate and banana crepes," Joel hummed, and Grian snickered.

"You sound middle-aged," Grian said, peeking over the top of his menu.

Joel gasp. "What?!"

"Only middle-aged people say what they want out loud like that," he explained. "Therefore, you sound middle-aged. You're, like, mentally twenty years older than you actually are." He chewed on his lip for a moment. "I think it's all the coffee you drink."

Joel laughed. "Oh, is that it?" he asked. "What are you getting?"

Grian shrugged. "All this looks kind of gross," he grumbled. "Like, it's all..." He trailed off and pulled a face as he set his menu flat on the table, crossing his arms. "It's just gross."

"You need to eat something," Joel said, reaching over the table to cup a hand over Grian's cheek. "Preferably something with more carbs. Your body needs the energy."

Grian looked down at the menu and sighed. "Do waffles have carbs?" he asked.

"Yeah, they have a good amount of carbs," Joel said, pulling his hand away.

"I'll get those, then."

.•°*°•.

"That was yummy," Grian said with a yawn as he and Joel walked down the street from the restaurant.

Joel chuckled. "Yeah?" He wrapped his arm around him, yawning as well. "Sheesh, I could use a nap."

Grian nodded. "Me too."

.•°*°•.

When Lizzie got home, she walked into the living room to her two favourite people sleeping on the sofa with Duncan. She smiled and walked over to drape a blanket over the two of them. They'd been watching Star Wars before they fell asleep, which made Lizzie giggle. She kissed Joel's cheek, and grimaced when he started to wake up. Oops.

"Mm... Liz?"

Lizzie sighed and smiled. "Hey," she whispered.

Joel blinked and sat upright. "What time is it?" he yawned.

"About five thirty," Lizzie answered.

Joel gasped and sat upright. "Five thirty?" He groaned and ran a hand through his hair, tossing the blanket off of himself. "I need to get started on dinner. Oh, and I never started that assignment for school. I should get a shower-"

"Nope." Lizzie nudged him back onto the sofa. "You relax, mister. I'm making dinner tonight."

The brunette frowned. "Babe, you've been on your feet all day," he said.

"Okay?"

"You need rest-"

"So do you!" Lizzie crossed her arms. "You work all day and night, and you exhaust yourself to the point where you fall asleep standing up. If either of us needs rest, it's you."

Joel sighed. "It's fine, I've been sleeping all day."

"And you will continue to sleep," Lizzie huffed, "or- or no more Star Wars. I will make you and Grian dinner and you both will sleep until it's ready and then you will eat it and go back to sleep."

"Babe-"

Lizzie held up her hand. "The only words I want to hear come from you are 'Yes ma'am.'"

Joel blinked at her and rolled his eyes before saying with a grin, "Yes, ma'am."

Lizzie smiled. "Good. Now, go back to sleep while I make you a pot pie." She blew a kiss and left.

.•°*°•.

Joel and Grian bonding time = sleeping. They sleep. To Star Wars. <3

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Sorry it took a little longer to write, I had some stuff I had to do. Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful rest of your day or evening! Love y'all <33 /gen/p

[P.S. I have music out on Spotify!! Links don't work on Wattpad mobile, but my user is bumblvee! I have an album and a single out right now. The album is a sort of laid back lofi/hip-hop style, and the single is the APBAON theme song! Go ahead and check it out :D /nf]